Last Blog for the Semester

Choose two things you learned from the research for your Research Paper and explain or reflect on them in your blog. If you have blogs from this semester to make up, now is the time. We will begin a new set of blogs next semester. Good luck on finals and have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Happy Thanksgiving

No blog this week. Enjoy the turkey etc.

Romantic Poem Reflection

Write a reflection on one of the Romantic poems we studied in the past two weeks.

Connection to Nature

http://www.voki.com/pickup.php?scid=2936380&height=267&width=200

Copy and past the above address in your browser's address bar. Go to this site to find your assignment for the week.

What Were You Thinking, Edgar?

The Pit and the Pendulum is my favorite Poe story, but I hate the ending. I would like you to write a new ending for the story. It doesn't have to be long, and it can be really gory, but something more creative than
"There was a discordant hum of human voices! There was a loud blast as of many trumpets! There was a harsh grating as of a thousand thunders! The fiery walls rushed back! An outstretched arm caught my own as I fell fainting into the abyss. It was that of General Lasalle. The French army had entered Toledo. The Inquisition was in the hands of its enemies."

That ending seems way too contrived. You can have the narrator live or die, your choice, but do it in your best Poe manner and have fun with it.

Crucible Paper

Because you all have a Crucible paper due Wednesday, take a week off from your blog to write your paper. Check back here next Sunday. :)

Reflections on The Crucible

Reflect on The Crucible.  Focus on any of the following:  the characters, events, or pervading metaphor. Post your reflections for this week's blog entry.  Reflections are not summaries; they are feelings and thoughts about specific events or details.

Political climate of the 1950s

This week research the political climate of the 1950s. There are excellent places on the Internet to learn about Joseph McCarthy, HUAC, black listing, Arthur Miller, Elia Kazan, Charlie Chaplin, Paul Robeson, etc. Remember to post the address of the site you use for your post.

Post a summary of the information you find and a reflection about it.

or

Find a video that is appropriate to the topic and reflect on the contents.

or

Post information on the effect of the McCarthy Hearings on ordinary life
in the U.S. and reflect on what you learn.

Puritan Plain Style

This week is write like a Puritan week. Try out a poem or some prose in Puritan Plain Style.

Choose one:

Observe something then write about the observation and the religious lesson you get from the observation.

Write part of a fire and brimstone sermon.

Write an account of some aspect of Puritan daily life based on what you can find out. Don't forget the religious lesson.

Write a reflection about something, culminating with a religious lesson.

Write a poem in the style of Anne Bradstreet. Don't forget the religious lesson.

They All Played a Part .

In 1620 the Pilgrims came to America on a ship called the Mayflower. To make a successful colony, everyone has a part. This week investigate the players in the Mayflower adventure and write a reflection about their contributions to the voyage and/or the colony. Pick one :

1. William Bradford

2. William Brewster

3 Myles Standish

4. John Alden/Priscilla Mullens

5. Squanto

6. the Wampanoag tribe

7. Chief Massasoit

Journals of Discovery

The second blog entry is about the journals we will be studying this week. We will be reading parts of the journals of early explorers and settlers. We will be discovering the influence of bias on primary sources. Your choices for posting this week include the following:
1. Reflect on one of the journals we have read, focusing on one of the following areas:
    a. Bias
    b. Relationship to the Native Americans
    c. Hardships
    d. Misconceptions and mistakes
2. Research one of the voyages and reflect on the trip to the New World.
3. Research the life of one of the authors and reflect on what happened after the journey and discovery or colonization.
4. Read more of one of the journals online and post a reflection on it.
5. Post a picture relating to one of the journeys and reflect on the picture's accuracy and message.

If you have an alternate direction you would like to explore about the journals, please ask.

Native American Culture Blog

This week you are to post about Native American culture. Here are a few suggestions to help you think of what to post:

You can reflect on any of the myths, stories, or videos we have read or
seen.

You can find an article on the internet about how modern Native Americans
still revere their root culture. Provide a link to the article and post a
reflection about it.

You can create a trickster story using the cultural elements of a tribe
and post it on your site.

You can create a piece of graphic art showing Native American culture and
explain your artwork in a reflection.


If you have an idea other than the above suggestions, go for it, but you may NOT make fun of or degrade Native American culture in any way! Your post is worth 30 points.

 

Welcome to Blogging

Welcome to the Honors American Literature class blog. You must check this blog each week to find the instructions for your blogs. You will get points each time you post on your blog or comment on a classmate's blog. You must post once a week about the material we cover in that week. I will give instructions or suggestions here to help you find something to write about.

The first assignment is to connect to this blog and become a follower. Then you must email your blog address to me so I can follow your blog and connect you to everyone else. The sooner you establish a blog, the sooner you will get blog points. Remember for security reasons not to use your full name in your address or blog title.

Get busy setting up your blog. If you have questions, watch the videos on the dashboard page or ask me in class.
Happy Blogging!